Lorraine Watchorn calls this strategy GPS and I first saw it at Aberdeen Primary in Gill Gibb's class. A graphic representation of the process is placed on the classroom wall. This works best if students, with teacher facilitation, decide upon the way their inquiry model is represented so it is relevant to them and they have ownership. Students' faces and/or names are then placed on the chart at the place where they are in the process. Students move themselves as they progress through the stages.
There are several ways that this is useful. Firstly, having a graphic represention helps students, especially younger ones to understand and internalise the process. If they have input they will have ownership. Secondly it helps students understand where they are, where they are heading and what they have to do next. Movement is not always forward, and this helps students understand the process is not a linear one. Thirdly, it is very easy for the teacher to see at a glance where students are at, who may need help etc.
These two examples are from Opoutere School. The first is from Karen Reynold's Y4-6 class.
This example is from Donna Harper's new entrant/year one class. Information relevant to the current inquiry has been added along the journey.
Graphic Representations of the inquiry process.
Lorraine Watchorn calls this strategy GPS and I first saw it at Aberdeen Primary in Gill Gibb's class. A graphic representation of the process is placed on the classroom wall. This works best if students, with teacher facilitation, decide upon the way their inquiry model is represented so it is relevant to them and they have ownership. Students' faces and/or names are then placed on the chart at the place where they are in the process. Students move themselves as they progress through the stages.There are several ways that this is useful. Firstly, having a graphic represention helps students, especially younger ones to understand and internalise the process. If they have input they will have ownership. Secondly it helps students understand where they are, where they are heading and what they have to do next. Movement is not always forward, and this helps students understand the process is not a linear one. Thirdly, it is very easy for the teacher to see at a glance where students are at, who may need help etc.
These two examples are from Opoutere School. The first is from Karen Reynold's Y4-6 class.
This example is from Donna Harper's new entrant/year one class. Information relevant to the current inquiry has been added along the journey.
Please add your own examples.